At a time when many Indians are aborting the girl child in preference for a son, some members of Pune's advisory committee failed to contribute meaningfully to tackle this grave issue.
At a time when many Indians are aborting the girl child in preference for a son, some members of the city's advisory committee failed to contribute meaningfully to tackle this grave issue. Speak Up brings you reactions of prominent civic leaders and activists on the matter:
Only dedicated doctors should be on committee board
The doctors on the advisory committee should understand the importance of the job entrusted to them. Only those doctors who are dedicated to the cause should be there on the committee. The falling sex ratio of the country and the city is a matter of grave concern and the lax attendance of eminent doctors is indeed a crying shame. In a city like Pune, which is known for its educated masses, selective abortion of the girl child is a very disturbing trend. In the light of this, I fail to understand why the doctors shy away from attending the meetings. I will be immediately writing to the municipal commissioner and the state health minister asking them to reconstitute the advisory committee by appointing doctors who are really interested in working.
Deepti Chowdhury, MLC and Congress leader
If doctors are diligent then it’s not a problem
I was not aware of the problem of lax attendance of doctors on the advisory committee. But if the doctors are performing their duties diligently then I do not see their poor attendance as a cause of concern.
Madhuri Misal, MLA, BJP
PMC has damaged the image of public health services
The falling sex ratio, in the country is a matter of grave concern. The PMC is trying to frame some rules in this matter, but I do not have much faith in the civic body’s endeavour. The health department of the PMC is in shambles and it has done enormous damage to the image of public health services of the city. I feel very uncomfortable that the work of implementing the PCPNDT Act (Pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques) is with this body. However, the doctors who are part of the advisory committee should make it a point to attend the same without fail. In case they are not attending the meetings, either they should resign or be asked to resign.
Dr Abhijit Vaidya, national chief of Arogaya Sena
Doctors should resign from board if they don’t have time
If the doctors on the advisory board do not have time, they should voluntarily resign from the board. I have been following this issue since last many years but I am sorry to say that I had no idea about the lax attendance of the eminent doctors on the advisory board. Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, the principal director of Symbiosis, would be a busy person and I think she should have resigned from the board if she finds it difficult to attend the meetings. I will be talking to her and other doctors and try to find out a way out of this problem.
Rajlakshmi Bhosale, NCP corporator
The declining sex ratio of the country is making headlines
This is a matter of serious concern as the declining sex ratio of the country is making headline news every where. The doctors who are part of the committee must be serious about their commitment and make it a point to attend the meetings. However, we need to check the briefs given to the committee members and also if their consent were taken before including them in the committee.
Anuradha Sahasrabuddhe, director, Childline
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}